Being the sequel to House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects takes off several months after the first film and takes us (the viewers) further into the lives of the Firefly family. Consisting of Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig), Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie), and Otis (Bill Mosely); these remaining members of the Firefly family take off across Texas on a bloody whirlwind of realistic terror that culmintates in probably one of the most prolific and emotional endings to a film of this genre ever filmed.
The acting is basically the same from the first film (as far as the three main characters go), but this time around you see another side to these brutal killers. Rob Zombie shows through these characters that it's not only fun to root for the bad guys, it's also fun to see what makes them tick. This is probably my favorite aspect of both films, but more so in Rejects. Sid Haig's character is expanded and is shown to be a father figure to Otis and Baby, which as psychotic as it sounds, it really fits within the boundaries of a tight-knit family. That's the driving aspect of this film, minus all the blood and gore. Family. We're all familiar with the "stereotypical" family, so Zombie shows us what a family of bloodthirsty killers is like. Come to find out, they're not too different than a "normal" family... well, except for the senseless killing. But to the Firefly family, killing people isn't senseless. It's their way of life, and when Sheriff John Wydell seeks revenge on them for killing his brother (see House of 1,000 Corpses), we the audience start to hate the man of justice and root for the outlaws.
Having mentioned outlaws, that word seems to fit here. This film takes place in 1978, which as we know is far from the "old west" era, but that feeling is evoked through the dusty and drab atmosphere of a 1978 Texas. The locations used only add to the desolation of everything and everyone and add an intimate setting to the film. Each and every location seems to add to the brooding sense that all will not end well for everyone.
As for the acting, I mentioned above that it's basically the same from the first film, but only taken farther. Each returning actor is given more chance to explore their character and the driving force behind them. All the new actors on board really help to sell the feelings of hopelessness and despair while giving their own spin to the acting tour de force. If I had to pick who shown through in this film, I'd have to settle on three people: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, and William Forsythe. These three totally steal each scene their in, and when all three are together on screen, it's a series of intense moments that fuel the darker side of your psyche.
Now, on to the directing. Being the sophmore effort of Rob Zombie, I have to give him credit for learning from his mistakes the first time and not repeating them. I'm not saying his first film was bad, but this is a vast improvement over his first. Each camera shot has a purpose and style to it that brings the acting and locations together beautifully. The editing and writing are top notch for such a genre film that sometimes you feel like you're watching something that really happened. Most directors spend a lifetime trying to achieve such realism and Zombie got it his second try. My hat's off to the guy for really putting thought into making each second of this film count.
Probably one of my favorite parts to this film is the soundtrack. Seventies rock (mostly southern rock) really brings out the mood here and paces the film in such a way that it's almost nostalgic. In fact, after the ending, every time I hear the song Free Bird, I think about The Devil's Rejects. So, the soundtrack in conjunction with the film only enhances the emotional contrast going on here and leaves you with such vivid imagery that you'll never hear these songs the same way again. As we all know, Rob Zombie hails from the annals of shock rock, so he could have easily added his own songs to the mix, but ultimately chose not to. This choice was probably what sold me on the whole film. Taking classic rock and putting it to this film was a ballsy move and Zombie pulled it off with such a psychotic genious that you have to respect him for it.
Overall, this isn't a perfect film by any means, but it's a damn good film. An emotional ride that leaves you wanting to see the bad guys win (for once) and the good guy get a hefty dose of pain. From start to finish, the film is gripping, brutal, and definately emotional in some sick sadistic way. So, if you're up for Rob Zombie's ultimate tribute to seventies grindhouse cinema, check this baby out. But be warned: it's disturbing... but in a beautiful and epic way that not everyone will appreciate.
Rating:
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment